Robin Hood in New York? ~ The Story of Iris Winter ~ {28}

I scrabbled away from Devlin West on frantic hands and knees. I was afraid to turn my back on my potential murderer even for a second... But I had to do it, for Arson's sake.
He continued to hack through his bindings, and was making slow progress. He kept cutting his hands on the uneven edges of the glass, which made his grip even slipperier.
Devlin followed casually behind me.
"I hope you're watching, Fire-boy!" he called over his shoulder, without taking his eyes off of me. "The next thing that goes is her pretty, little ski-slope nose..."
He raised Arson's own sword to hack of said facial feature, when I ducked down between his legs, magically appearing on his other side, and backed up against a large armchair.
Misbalanced, he plunged the sword into the wall, where it slid though the thin layers of cheap plaster, and stuck. I darted a glance at Arson. A few more slices and his hands would be free.
Would I be able to keep Devlin occupied long enough for Arson to undo the bindings on his feet?
About three more cuts to the rope, and Arson would gain the usage of his hands...
Mr. West grunted and yanked on the hilt of the sword, trying to free it from the wall. With a final cry of power and frustration, he unsheathed it like King Arthur had done with Excalibur.
Two more cuts!
He whorled around to fast, that I didn't have time to take my eyes off of Arson. Devlin followed my gaze, and sucked in his breath. Arson's hands, with one last swipe of the shard of glass, were now free. He sprang to his feet, wobbling uneasily, as his feet were still bound.
"What the-" he began, raising the blade above his head.
He took a menacing step towards his bound captive, meaning to plunge the blade into him.
He was interrupted, both in movement and speech, when I panicked and raised a foot to kick him hard between the legs. He gasped, let out a high-pitched squeak, and dropped the sword to the ground.
He collapsed, gasping for breath, and clutching his crotch. I scooped up the sword.
"Catch!" I yelled without thinking, and tossed the weapon to Arson.
He caught it with ease and, with a quick flick of the wrist, the bindings on his feet fell loose.
Devlin was on his feet again. He made a nervous move towards the door, but Arson was too quick. He leapt behind him, clearing the sweat and blood from his vision with his sleeve. Purple bruises swelled all over his face and body.
Arson pointed the tip of the sword at Devlin's neck.
"You've gotten on my last nerve, Mr. West."
Devlin shook, despite the fact that he was being threatened by a teenager.
"My very last nerve."
Devlin opened his mouth, as if to say something, but only gurgled.
"Iris, call the Police."
"But they'll find you here and-"
"Call the Police."
Sensing the urgency in his voice, I stumbled towards the kitchen, where the phone was, and obeyed.
"They're on their way!" I called to him, reentering the living room.
"Good," Arson replied, refusing to look me in the eye. He turned to Devlin again. "Mr. West, I fear that this is the last time we'll ever meet. Goodbye... And sweet dreams."
He raised his sword, both hands clutching the base of the hilt. For a second, both Devlin West and I thought that there would be a murder in my apartment. I flincehd and half-covered my eyes.
But Arson brought down the butt of the sword on top of Devlin's head with a sharp thwack!
Devlin, unconscious, collapsed to the ground. A peaceful look spread over his face, and his breathing was slow and even.
Satisfied with his work, Arson strode quickly over to where he'd been tied up, and snatched his mask off the ground. He slipped it on, ignoring the fact that one of the slits had been ripped wide open, making it look like his grey eye was crying a flesh-colored tear. He bent over a pad of paper that I kept on the coffee table, and began scribbling.
"What are you writing?" I asked, hesitant to take my eyes off of Devlin's motionless form.
Wordlessly, Arson ripped off the sheet he'd written on, walked back over to me, and slipped it into my hand. I curled my fingers around it tightly.
"What is this?" I breathed, wanting to scream at him... Wanting to tell him that he shouldn't leave me again.
"POLICE! OPEN UP!"
I jumped.
"THIS IS THE POLICE! OPEN THIS DOOR!"
Arson reached out, after a moments hesitation, and touched two gentle fingers to my cheek. The look in his eyes said it all.
He missed me.
Then, I hardly blinked... And he was gone. Out my window, and shimmying down the fire-escpe, no doubt.
"THIS IS THE POLICE!"
They knocked loudly on the door, and rattled the knob.
I stuffed Arson's note in my pocket, and raced over to let the men in blue into my ransacked home.
-_-_-_-_-
The cut across my jaw had been bandaged with gauze. The doctors said that it would heal, but I'd probably have a scar. I'd tried to hold back a bitter laugh when they told me that.
Devlin was in custody... He was still slightly woozy from the swelling knot on his head. I watched as a large man pushed him roughly into the back of a cop car.
The note seemed to literally burn in my pocket. I couldn't risk taking it out and reading it, though... It would contradict my story.
I told them that Devlin had broken into my apartment, planning to rob me and then kill me.
"He must have heard me screaming," I told the police, lying through my teeth.
"Who?" A severe looking black woman demanded, her pencil poised over a tiny notepad.
"Arson," I'd answered. I proceeded to tell them that, no, I'd never met Dam- Uh... Arson before, and, no, he hadn't said anything to me after he saved my life.
But they were gone now... I could read the note that had been on my mind for the past two hours.
The afternoon sun had given way to a periwinkle sky, twilight settling in.
I reached into my pants pocket, hesitated, and then withdrew the crumpled piece of stationary.
Arson had scribbled in hasty handwriting:
Darling...
I missed you. So much.
I tried to hold myself back... But it was too much. I caved and set out to your apartment.
Devlin must have been watching the Shelter. When he saw me running, he followed me. I should have noticed him... But I was too caught up in finally seeing you again. I led him right to you.
This must be some sort of sign! This proves that I can do nothing but harm to you!
This is my final goodbye.
I'm sorry, Iris.
With all my heart, I truly am sorry.
Love,
Damon
The tears started falling at "Darling" and came harder at "Love."
I crunched the piece of paper into a tight ball with my fist. I collapsed onto my bed, as I was unable to go into my living room. You know, what with the blood and all.
That night, I continued my tradition of crying far too much over a boy who is never around.

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Okay. Um... That last post... Yeah... That was an overreaction.
Don't you maybe think... Maybe... That I freaked out... A teensy bit?
I answered his (twenty-second) phone call this morning, and Johnny and I are now, officially, back together.
A lot of you seemed to think that our breaking up was a good thing... Which I find weird.
I'm still sort of mad at him though, so we're not hanging out this weekend. I'll see him at school tomorrow. I'm going to drive over to Gui's in about an hour because he rented The Blob, and I'm eager to go over to his house and make fun of it! Yay!
So.. Uh..
Forgiven?
Love,
Ms. Marauder